McGinn says he’ll ‘keep fighting’ tunnel cost issue

Mayor Mike McGinn said Tuesday he’d “keep fighting” the proposed tunnel replacement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct until a provision requiring Seattle to pay for cost overruns is removed.

“I don’t support that project,” McGinn said in his first State of the City address before the City Council. “But … I respect this council’s decision to move ahead.”

McGinn made opposition to the tunnel the main issue in his campaign before he softened his stance just before the November election. Speaking Tuesday, McGinn again said significant work on the tunnel should not begin until a clause in the authorizing legislation requiring Seattle taxpayers to pay for cost overruns for the $4.2 billion project is taken off.

“I intend to keep fighting, as mayor, to say that we should not get those deep-bored tunnel machines going…so long as we are at the risk of paying for cost overruns,” McGinn said to scattered applause at City Hall. State lawmakers have made it clear they will not remove the provision McGinn objects to.

McGinn spent much of his speech talking about economic issues, saying the Great Recession is hitting Seattle hard.

He said city unemployment was 9.2 percent, the highest level in more than 20 years. He said use of food banks was up and that 40 percent of students in public schools – 18,000 kids – qualify for free or reduced price meals.

“A lot of this can look pretty grim for our city and our future,” said McGinn, who was sworn in last month.

McGinn said the city’s tax revenue is down about $3 million from estimates for this year, meaning further cuts may be required. And next year the city’s $950 million operating budget may be more than $50 million in the red, he said.

But the mayor emphasized that Seattle’s problems weren’t as severe as King County or the state, both facing huge shortfalls.

He said Seattle can build on its strengths of being an education center and a port.

“People come here because of our exposure to the world,” McGinn said.

McGinn touched on some of the more controversial proposals he has floated in his first weeks in office, including cutting city payroll and asking voters for tax money to replace the central waterfront seawall. The latter move was seen by some as a way for McGinn to try to kill the viaduct tunnel replacement he objects to.

McGinn was rapped by city employees for saying he wanted to quickly cut 200 senior level, non-union positions. Last month he pointed out that in 2002 there were 656 authorized senior positions. Last year, there were 983 — an increase of 327 positions over eight years. Potentially affected employees said the mayor was moving too fast and McGinn backed off, instead asking departments to look for potential senior-level staff cuts later this year and as they develop the 2011 budget.

But Tuesday McGinn again said the economic reality means city government will have to shrink.

“Can we do what want to do with fewer people?” McGinn asked.

The mayor, known for riding his bike on the campaign trail, spent a good chunk of his address talking about transportation. He reiterated his pledge to put a measure before voters for in-city light rail within two years.

He also talked about “a couple of megaprojects,” the tunnel and the 520 bridge replacement.

On 520 bridge, McGinn said he was asked to “be more engaged” in discussions about replacing the Lake Washington span.

“What we saw was a transportation project that was back to the old style,” he said of the proposed six-lane replacement, featuring four general purpose auto lanes two carpool lanes. McGinn again spoke in favor of his and others’ preferred option of four car lanes and two bus-only/transit lanes.

The mayor said the car-centric bridge replacement was an example of misplaced priorities.

McGinn, an attorney who started his own non-profit to advocate for change in the city before being elected, said he was confident people in Seattle could work together to solve the city’s many problems.

He also subtly answered critics who have said the mayor, who was opposed by the city’s business and labor interests, is spending too much time holding public forums on issues and opposing things like the viaduct tunnel that have already been agreed on.

“I don’t view idealism as a weakness, I view it as a strength,” McGinn said.